Blood Ties
by perseverance-n
Summary: Within the depths of mismatched eyes, I was beginning to see signs of a monster being born. SI-OC/Spoilers/Some AU.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Okay, this is another fanfiction and it's self-insert for Vampire Knight. I'm going to explore Rido Kuran's character and give a depth to his story but from an oc's perspective. However, this means what you know about him will have to be put on hold.

Also, this first part is written in snippets, to give an idea what happens in Kyyra's life early on.

I was heavily inspired by one of the X-Men movies when I saw Magneto have a family life for a little while. Something like this takes shape for Rido but there are some twists and turns.

 ** _Please leave no flames._**

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Vampire Knight. I only own my original character.

 **Warning:** Characters are ooc. Definitely cannon divergence involved. This story is written to give a roller coaster of emotions and will get dark. Lastly, the grammar isn't all that great.

Some adult language and violence too.

* * *

 **Blood Ties**

* * *

Death.

Words that described it.

Pain.

Darkness.

And loneliness.

Yet, I was aware -on a conscious level- of such things.

Why?

In death, a person was gone.

No replacement, just a bitter emptiness.

With death, there was nothingness.

But, I knew my name. I lived a life and still retained memories.

How?

If I was dead, then I shouldn't exist.

And yet somehow, I did.

OoO

Light.

A sudden wail.

Air, I breathed it for the first time in my lungs.

My arms and legs flailed and I heard a voice, soft and sweet.

I cried harder, blinking the blurriness from my eyes. Something warm wrapped around me, and I was leaning against a firm but soft surface. I calmed instantly.

"Sweet baby Kyyra," a feminine voice sang into the air, entrancingly, hauntingly beautiful. "Don't you cry. Mama is going to sing you a lullaby."

I blinked watery eyes and opened my small mouth. A coo escaped my lips.

Laughter, sounding like wind chimes, echoed before fading. "Oh sweet Kyyra, you're exactly how we imagined. You're such a beautiful baby girl. Hair and skin like mama's and eyes just like daddy's."

I made another coo and the person, my mother, holding me clutched me closer. I closed my eyes, feeling soothed for that time.

OoO

Bars restrained me.

Imprisoning me from the world.

I didn't know where I was but glancing down at my useless chubby hands and feet, I was aware of being a baby.

I gurgled, and I heard a chuckle, masculine and deep.

"Kyyra," a low baritone rumbled. "What are you up to?"

I gurgled again, feeling drool roll down my chin.

"I can't believe your mama left me to watch over you. I'm not cut out for this," the man complained but his voice held a hint of humor. A large hand came into view, holding a white handkerchief. The material pressed against my skin and I moved my head away.

The cloth was pulled back. "Ah, I see. It's too rough." A face came into my view and my body jerked. Two different colored eyes, one red and the other blue, stared down at me.

A large hand shifted in my direction and fear bubbled in me. I began to cry.

"No, Kyyra," he was shaking his head, uneven brown and red locks swaying with his motion. "Don't cry. I'm going to get one of your teddy bears." He seemed alarmed.

I didn't want my teddy bear. I wanted mama. I cried louder.

He put a white teddy bear in front of me and started shaking it. "See Mr. Teddy Bear. He's..."

He took the teddy away. "He's... I don't know."

And something strange happened, my crying died down.

"Uhh... he's fluffy and soft and weird looking." The male was struggling for words.

Strange burbling noises filled the air and his face popped back into my view. Blinking his eyes, he stared at me.

"Ah, Rido. I see you're getting along with our baby," another voice joined in.

He disappeared, leaving me to stare at a white ceiling. I babbled while moving my hands and legs.

"Now, she wants you."

He came back in my vision, strong hands lifted me up in the air. He cradled me against him. A chuckle vibrated through his chest, making my little body shake. I warbled, drool bubbled from my mouth to wet his shirt.

"Look, she spit on my shirt," the man said. He lifted me up until I was close to his face. My small chubby hand raised and surprisingly hit his cheek. His eyes widened while mama's laughter bubbled in the room.

"She even slapped you, hun," my mama said in between her laughter.

I babbled at the astonishment on his face. He shifted me until his long arm supported my spine. His large hand cradled my head. He lifted a pointer finger to me with his other free hand. Naturally, I grasped it with my chubby fingers.

"Do you see this?" he asked. Pride glittered from his mismatched eyes. "She likes me!"

"Of course she will, hun," mama replied. Her pretty face came into my line of sight. Her dark eyes switched lovingly between me and him. "You're her father," she finished as she turned her head to Rido.

"It's just that..." Slightly, he shook his head. "My siblings never thought I could find happiness. I never thought I would find you."

Her arm snaked around him. She leaned her forehead against his shoulder. "We found each other."

I gibbered. They both glanced at me, a smile on their faces. "We have our sweet Kyyra. That's all that matters."

"Yes," he affirmed.

OoO

I was seated on a plush carpet, mama stood not too far from me in one her beautiful dresses. She always wore dresses and loved to make me wear them too.

Mama's dainty hands were on her knees. Her long and shiny pinkish and purplish hair fell over her shoulders in waves. Her dark brown eyes shone with hope.

"You might do it this time. Come on sweet Kyyra," she encouraged me. "Come to mama."

I put shaky hands down, feeling the softness on my fingers. My legs shifted from under me.

"That's it, crawl to me." She was waving her hands to me.

I tried to move but my bare knees rubbed hard against the carpet and my arms gave away. I fell face down on the ground. Mama started laughing, her happiness making my failure to move her seem like nothing.

Comically, I made a sound.

"Don't worry," she said as her footsteps approached me. Her hands gently clutched my sides and she helped me to sit on my bottom. She rearranged the pink fluffy dress I wore at my sides. "When you fall down, you get up and try again."

I babbled at her, making the corners of her pink lips raised into a smile.

"You want to try again?"

I said something in gibberish, my hands reached for her.

"Oh, all right. I'll give you hand." She picked me up and I sighed. There was no better place to be than in mama's arms.

OoO

There was something wrong with mama. I heard it the moment she came into my room. I turned my head to her, a distress noise hurtled from my lips. She was hunched over, her body wracking with painful coughs.

Then a weird pungent smell filled the room.

"Emi," Rido dashed next to her. "What's wrong?"

She covered a next convulsion of coughs with her hand. He knelt down to her, and gently rubbed her back.

"Emi?"

He removed the hand from her lips and I saw it, crimson stained her fingers.

My father, his mismatched eyes, glowed a frightening scarlet. I wailed.

I didn't know what happened after that but I was cradled in strong arms. Someone was trying to soothingly shush me.

"It'll be okay, Kyyra," I heard a strong but tender tone tell me and I realized it was dad. "Mama is going to be fine."

My little fingers sought purchase of his collar. I grasped it tightly as my forehead touched his chin. I smelled it, the same pungent scent mama carried on him.

My head moved but a firm grasp on the crown of it kept me still.

"She's going to be alright," he chanted as he started to walk back and forth, slightly shaking me. "She's going to be alright."

OoO

Mama sat on the rocking chair with me on her lap, reading me a story. Her lovely voice calmed me as always. There was a rich feminine softness to it. Her voice always made me feel safe, loved, and cherished.

She was about to turn a page when I felt her body freeze. Then the book dropped on the ground and I was swiftly put on the rug while a closed fist pressed against her lips. She was coughing again, harshly.

The door slammed open, a gush of cold breeze entered the room, causing me to stiffen.

Tears blurred my vision.

I heard voices, both daddy's and mama's.

"You're not suppose to be in here, Emi."

"I... can't... help it. I want... to spend... time... with our... daugh-ter."

"You need to save your strength. The doctor will be here tomorrow along with Haruka, Juri and their son."

"I... don't want them... here." Mama's voice didn't sound as irritated or hesitant as before. She sounded firm.

"I don't either."

"Then why?"

"They want to make amends for their harsh treatment toward you."

"No, they want to gloat their happiness in our faces." Mama's tone changed to bitterness. I didn't like it.

"You think I don't see that."

She coughed again. "Then... turn... them away."

There was a pause before daddy said, "I can't."

Mama began weeping and coughing. The pungent smell returned with a full force. Tears streamed down my face.

"They're family," he insisted.

"They... betrayed you."

"They did," he acknowledged.

"Don't let them near our girl... please."

"I won't."

"Promise me, Rido."

His last words ended with "I promise."

When they finally came to me, I was sobbing silently.

OoO

"How? Why?" Rido growled, waking me up from my sleep. Something was wrong as I felt a snapping tension in the dark air. I shifted my little body until I was peering through the bars of the crib, focusing on the door, which was partially opened.

"We had no choice. She wasn't going to live for long," another voice, an unrecognizable one spoke back.

"Emi is my beloved wife, Juri. You let the doctor murder her. I'm going to kill that bastard!"

"She was unstable, her mind and body was deteriorating," the woman insisted.

Momentarily, there was quietness, a stifling one. "The doctor didn't kill her?"

I felt my heart clenched as salty moisture stung my eyes.

"You can't see me happy?" Rido asked in sadness. Although his tone lowered, I could still hear his words clearly.

"We're watching out for you."

"No, you just killed me." At the moment, his hatred was obvious. "Get out!"

All became quiet but it didn't stop the sadness from engulfing me. I lost my mother.

OoO

Their names, their eyes, their faces. They looked familiar but my mind couldn't digest the reason.

My father's arm wounded around me, keeping me secured on his lap as we sat on a dark leather couch.

A woman with long, unruly brunette hair raised her arms into the air, her hands in an upright position. She and a tall man next to her remained standing across from us. They were dressed elegantly like first class people. It reminded me of the way dad dressed. "I'll take her."

"Do you presume to tell me I don't know how to manage my child, Juri-san?" Rido questioned with annoyance.

So, she was the one dad talked too.

The man with same color hair as the female slowly lowered her arms with his hands. He glanced at us, calmly regarding Rido. "We meant no harm. Your wife-."

"What about my wife?" my father interrupted.

I looked down at my hands and feet.

"We just wanted to send our condolences," the man continued.

"Seriously, Haruka-san?" Rido's hand tightened around my torso. His body tensed and the air stirred with an unpleasantness. "Since when did you start caring about me or what is mine?"

The woman named Juri gasped and the male beside her spoke with a light tone. "We always did-."

"You have everything." His words got harsher as the air got heavier. My little hands tightened into fists and my bare toes wiggled. "You have your wife, a woman I once loved, and a son. You spend your momentous days with joy."

I cried out with the last lash of his words. A weight pressed heavily down on me, making me collapse against him. I began to tear up. Lately, these days were filled with sadness.

"Your daughter," Juri said. I could still make out her words through my sobs. "She's frightened."

A slapping sound echoed in the air, making me bury my wet face in my dad's chest. "I lost my beloved Emi. I won't give my daughter to you."

"But you don't have anyone else to take care of her," the brunette interjected.

"And you're willing to take her because she's a pureblood? Or is it because she's a Kuran? Which one?" That silenced me along with the rest of occupants in the living room.

"That's what I thought," he confirmed. There was a finality in his tone. "Both of you are the reason my wife is dead. I won't let you have Kyyra. Now, excuse yourself from this premise. I have other business affairs to handle."

Rido pulled me away from him to stand up. When he was on his feet, he shifted me on his hip. I clutched onto him tightly, my chin touching the rough edge of his shoulder. My legs wrapped around his waist as his strong arm supported me.

He was about to turn around, dismissing the couple when in my peripheral vision, Juri's lips moved. "The council."

Rido halted. Since I leaned my head on his shoulder, he didn't bother to look at them. But his voice sounded deadly. "What about the council?"

"They're going to expect some kind of inquiry regarding Toma-san's death."

"It's Kuran-sama for you and fuck the council."

There was a moment of silence. "If that's all, farewell."

He strode away from them with me in his arms.

OoO

It hit me like a ton of bricks.

Pureblood.

The word, I've watched it on television and read about it in books.

Why didn't I notice it sooner?

I was in Vampire Knight.

And Rido Kuran was my father.

I glanced at him.

Even now, seated on the plush ground with toys surrounding me, the look of despair was evident on his face. Mama, her presence used to hum tranquilly against my skin. Her laughter, as comforting as the wind chimes, would never be a part of our life.

Rido slowly paced back and forth listlessly, his shoulders slumped. He looked lonely. I did something unlike me. Wobbly, I rose to my feet while making a weird noise. The pureblood's head snapped up and into my direction. My arms lifted into the air before I lost my balance. I fell on my bottom.

Then he moved to me, arms enclosed me. "She's gone," he whispered next to my ear. I could feel wetness soaking the upper part of my dress. "She's really gone."

I latched onto him, babbling. "But you're still here, Kyyra. I won't let anyone, especially my siblings take you from me."

He shifted away, his hands pressed gently on my chubby cheeks. "If they try to, I'll slaughter them all." Within the depths of mismatched eyes, I was beginning to see signs of a monster being born.

OoO

I don't know how old I was when I smelled it clearly.

Blood.

The thick and ripe type.

It wasn't like mama's pungent one.

No, this blood smelled bitter, like vinegar.

And somehow the crimson liquid plastered my fingers.

Father stirred after slumbering so long on the polished marble floor, different colored eyes opened to watch me from under long reddish and brownish bangs. A slow and maddening grin contorted on his face.

I brushed the hair away from his cheeks and forehead, smearing blood on it.

But he didn't seem to mind as he caught my wrist.

"This is the life essence for us Kyyra," he said to me with a darkly rich voice. I wondered if he knew I understood his words. "When you grow up into a true pureblood, this will sustain you. But what will truly satisfy you is the blood of the one you love the most."

"Like mama?" I asked him.

He blinked his eyes, the madness receded for a second before unleashing again.

"Yes. But this blood cannot compare to hers."

"Why?"

He stared at me with an intensity but after being in his presence for long as I was, it didn't faze me.

"This blood is your cousin's and now that I rid the world of him to reawaken a powerful ancestor of ours, things will get interesting."

My fingers wiggled in his grasp and Kaname flashed in my mind.

"A life for a life, blood for blood." He was still gazing at me, unseeing. I knew he was thinking of mama since Haruka and Juri were the ones he blamed for her death. And by taking something precious from them as they did to us, a game of chess had ensued.

* * *

 **A/N:** Kyyra is a baby but she's aware of what's going on around her since she remembers her previous life. Also, Emi Toma, Kyyra's mother, is another oc. Since there are seven pureblood families, I decided to use one of them, the Toma family. The next chapter will be in full detail. Hope you like this chapter. And don't forget to comment. :)


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** This story is going to get dark, I thought to warn you before reading. I was heavily inspired by Vampire Knight Season 1, Episode 5. It's the scene where Takuma invites Yuki and Zero to his birthday party. Just watching how vampires interact with each other, sharing blood and explaining their society just gave me ideas how Kyyra will be introduced to vampire society.

Again, another warning. This chapter may have some factors to kindle intense emotions and some bad grammar and punctuation. Sorry.

* * *

"Beautiful," I whispered, my hand barely reaching the painting of mama that dad hung in his office. The artist had done an immaculate job of bringing out the love and happiness in her dark brown eyes. Shiny pinkish and purplish hair fell down over her shoulders in waves. In my eyes, there was no other prettier than her.

I stretched on the balls of my feet on the cushiony chair I used as a support to get closer to her but I wobbled.

Large hands curved around my small torso. "Careful," a masculine voice said beside me.

I gave my daddy a small smile, momentarily looking at him. Then mama got my full attention again.

It seemed we were both obsessed with her. But my obsession was different from my dad's. I had the absence of a mother, one who loved me unconditionally. In my previous life I didn't know love the way she shared briefly with me. I grew up with many different nannies raising me while my parents worked long hour jobs in different countries.

Rido, on the other hand, spent most of his waking hours in his office. He would either sit at the chair behind his desk or stand before her picture, talking or staring silently at her. I was never far from him.

"She's really beautiful," he murmured, his tone soft and full of love.

I smiled again while bobbing my head. I was only three years old and fully capable of speaking words but I kept silent, unsure about the intellectual progress of purebloods. I learned that pureblood vampires aged differently from other vampires. They aged slower until they reached a point they froze in time.

My mismatched eyes shifted to my father, wondering if he reached that level of adulthood; frozen in time with elegance and unnatural beauty. He was truly handsome in the enchanting sort of way. Wherever he walked, eyes were drawn to him. I witnessed the bespectacled scene by the maids, which was why they avoided staring straight into his eyes.

As if he felt my gaze, he turned to me. His different colored eyes, a mirror of mine, glittered at me.

"This painting is our treasure," he revealed to me. "It was I who painted this to capture the life essence of your mother and it's through this painting she will stay us."

I nodded while returning my gaze on the picture. Longingly, I stared at mama.

Daddy was right. The longer I watched her painting, the more I felt like she was coming to life.

Her serene smile, the light reflecting in her eyes, the shimmering in her hair.

"Mama," I whispered.

My hand reached out to her. Dad's hands lifted me with ease and finally my little chubby fingers touched the smooth surface of the painting that was suppose to be her cheek. "Mama," I said again with a smile.

Beside me, daddy was grinning like a madman.

OoO

Obsession.

The word I mentioned before, came again.

This time it came with my education; one dealing with pureblood vampire education.

"You're different, Kyyra," the low baritone of Rido's voice rumbled. I could feel the tremors from his large hand that held mine. A long, elegant index finger traced the skin in my inner wrist, reflecting the blood flowing through my veins. "You're rare. Your blood is mixed with Kuran and Toma. And both can be a deadly combination."

I blinked my eyes at him. "Why?"

One little question and his eyes became a myriad of vividness.

"There's infinite possibilities and a number secrets. The things you can accomplish with your mixed blood, even I'm unsure. But this blood is yours and mine. You must never let anyone else to take it."

I tilted my head while blinking again. "Why?"

"Because," his voice held a roughness. "Blood is everything in our world."

He lifted my wrist to his nose, sniffing what must have been my blood under the delicate skin. I didn't flinch when his mouth opened and a fang touched my wrist. His eyes flashed scarlet before returning to normal. He pulled the appendage back. "Our blood has remained untainted by human blood. In fact, we can trace our history to the first and ancient vampire of our bloodline. For these reasons, vampires of lesser blood desire our blood. Our blood is an..."

"Obsession," I answered, unable to hold back that knowledge.

He brought my arm down, his index finger began to retrace the flow of my blood.

"Those who want our blood will do crazy and dark things because our blood is an addictive drug. They will murder you if need be to have a taste of our power."

I moved my head to indicate I understood him.

"Never," he emphasized each word. "Let anyone taste the sweetness running through you veins."

"I won't daddy."

"You promise." He lifted his head to look at me. There was a subtle warning in his colorful eyes but I didn't heed it.

"I promise." His eyes gleamed before he looked away from me.

OoO

Seated in a massive room with other purebloods, Rido Kuran elegantly crossed one leg over his knee. I sat stiffly in the seat beside him, absorbing their conversation.

"Isn't this a surprise?" he calmly gestured to everyone.

"You know very well why you're here," the brunette woman, who I couldn't bring myself to bring to call aunt, snapped at him. Rido ignored her and studied the other three males in the room.

He sat forward in his chair, uncrossing his long legs and intertwining his fingers while placing his elbows on his knees. "No, I don't."

"You took something precious from us and you dare to say you have no reason to be present here?"

"You act like you're all innocent, Juri-san."

The other males, two of them far older than me, listened quietly at the exchange of their words. One of them I recognized as Haruka. The other male greatly resembled Haruka and my father but his features were sharper and scarier looking. There was an air of intimidation and menace around his large form. A young boy, much smaller than the two men, with the Kuran features -the brown hair and brownish and reddish eyes- stared at me.

My hands balled against my thighs while I refused to meet his gaze.

The meeting had been one Rido couldn't refuse the moment he received the telephone call. He couldn't summon anyone on short notice to watch over me so he brought me along.

"That is why I called everyone here. We are going to straighten out the details once and for all," the man with the frightening aura addressed. He lounged at the head of the table, his dark brown hair shining in the light from the chandelier. His eyes met Rido's directly. "And we'll begin with you neglecting your duties as the Kuran heir. As the oldest and rightful Kuran of this family, you must fulfill your duties. Yet you eloped with the daughter of the Toma family and never received my blessing."

I heard Rido sigh. He shifted to leaning back in his chair. "You would have never approved of her although she was a pureblood."

"You're right. You were suppose to marry Hio Shizuka-san."

"I don't love her."

"Love has nothing to do with social standing."

"Don't Haruka-san and Juri-san love each other?"

"That's a different matter entirely," the man interjected. "They keep the Kuran bloodline pure."

"Well, with all due respect father, you have three instead of four children."

My eyes widened as my head snapped to my dad. His father was still alive. In the manga, he had killed him on a whim but I was learning that whatever took place in the manga and in the anime weren't the same in the world I lived in. It was as if my mother was the rock that caused the ripples in the once still pond.

"Which is why you were suppose to marry a female from the Hio family. They have great power and substantial wealth," the scary man who was my grandfather continued, causing me to switch glances between my father and him.

"And Shizuka-san is also insane. That's why the Council cages her like she's an animal."

"Most of us know the reason she's locked up. Didn't your wife display the same symptoms?"

"Except she's dead because of your children." Rido's body bristled. Since the death of my mama, Rido rebuffed Haruka and Jura as his siblings.

The mentioned people tensed in the room.

The oldest of the Kuran family slammed his fists on his armrests. "They had to do it. If the Council discovers that purebloods aren't as invulnerable as they think, imagine the rebellion and the numbers of our kind decreasing. We must protect our secret at all costs."

"So my beloved Emi was a sacrifice?"

"For the greater of our kind, yes."

Rido's mouth became a thin line. I choked back my objection. My eyes darted to the expensive fireplace at one side of the room. The crackling hearth reflected off their faces, especially the young boy's face. I could see he possessed the beauty and charisma of those born with pureblood to a point I was entranced by him.

Silence fell, and the roaring noise of Rido's father inhaling a breath filled my ears. Something was wrong.

"What else?" Haruka was the one who broke the silence and made me blink, breaking the spell.

The intimidating man's reddish and brownish eyes became steel. "Since you neglected your duties, we need another approach to bring back respect and honor to our family."

From my peripheral vision, I saw Rido gripped the arm of his chair.

"You acknowledge what must be done," the man replied. "With your wife's death, you must wed another and produce an heir with another vampire." He glanced at me and my heart fell into my stomach. There was a deadly glint in his dark eyes. "As it is, your child is unfit to be a Kuran heiress."

"No," Rido rejected.

"Excuse me."

"There is nothing wrong with my daughter. If anything is wrong, it's the boy Haruka-san and Juri-san claim as their son."

"Be careful what you say," Rido's father warned him.

My dad's lips lifted into a smirk while he crossed a leg over his knee. "A Kuran pureblood he may be but he's not their son. As least Kyyra is my dau..."

His sentence was incomplete as blood instantly splattered his chair and the floor. The smell was pungent as mama's and I gasped.

"You have no right to talk when it was your fault. You did something unforgivable to this family and you must pay the price."

Everyone stayed seated as the head Kuran moved to stand up. His frighteningly intense eyes landed on me. "As for the abomination sitting next to you, perhaps her blood will suffice."

"No," Rido growled at him. He was up from his chair so quickly I missed it. His blood matted his face but the injury dealt to him had already healed. "You won't touch a hair on her head."

The man lifted his thin lined eyebrows.

"I'll kill any one of you before you can get to her!" He slammed his fist on the table, shaking the wood.

"A life for a life, blood for blood." It was the same words dad repeated the night he came home drenched in blood.

He shook his head. "That was justified. Emi for their son."

"An innocent pureblood baby for an outsider."

"She was a pureblood too."

Both Kuran men sized up each other. None of the other occupants in the room spoke. I hadn't been among other purebloods besides my parents but I clearly recalled that they considered others of their kind as threats.

"We are Kurans. It seems you forgot what that entitles."

"We no longer live in the days of the monarchy. The senate rules and as such, the Kurans no longer can make or bend rules to their will."

The head Kuran moved first, instantly getting to the other side of the table. He grabbed Rido's chin, forcing his head up. "Check yourself, or I'll do it for you, boy," he murmured. "You're a fool to speak back to your superior."

I bit my bottom lip, trying my best to prevent an outburst.

"I'm not a child anymore, father." Rido said the last part with distaste. He broke his chin away from his father's grip but refused to step away.

"You," the head Kuran said, his voice echoing in the silent room.

My head whipped to him.

"Come." My body suddenly responded to his simple command.

"Kyyra, no!" my daddy yelled.

But I couldn't respond to him. It felt like someone had control over my body and I was just witnessing it. My feet touched the floor and slowly I reached for the larger man.

"At least she's such an obedient child," the head Kuran taunted Rido.

"She's not acting on her own free will," Rido retorted. "Leave her alone."

"We must erase all evidence of your transgressions."

"She's innocent!"

"So is Haruka's and Juri's son."

The man raised a large hand, palm up in the air. I lifted my hand.

"No Kyyra!"

Something inside me snapped. I fell on the cold floor, blinking several times while raising shaky hands in front my face. I moved my fingers, assessing whether I was still under a spell.

Hard arms surrounded me and pulled me against a warm body. "Kyyra," I heard dad's voice and felt his warm exhale on the crown of my head. He lifted my little body with ease and began moving. I buried my face in his shirt, his blood smearing against my cheek.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"I'm done," he snapped. Then he halted. I clutched tightly to his shirt, fear for him and myself overwhelming me along with the freshly split blood. His words drifted over me but I barely understood the impact of them. "I give my place to Haruka-san."

With that, he started to walk away from them.

"You can't do that!" his father shouted. The floor began to tremble, the windows cracked but Rido kept walking as though nothing happened.

"I just did," he whispered as we met the open night air. An hour later dad had burned down the mansion he and mama used to live in. Taking only a few essential items, definitely the painting, he seated me in a black car and buckled me in. He sat next to me and started the car. He ended ties with a family, revoking a lineage that granted him certain privileges.

Rido chose mama and I.

He chose us over his immediate family.

"Kyyra," he said my name. He took my hand and lifted my middle finger to his mouth. He pierced the tender skin with his fang, a slight pain flowed through me. His eyes turned scarlet while he nicked the skin of his finger with his fang, then he pressed our fingertips together. "Blood is what ties us together. Never forget this."

His face was still smeared in his blood. Absently, I lifted my other hand to his face and wiped some of the blood off. I brought the red plastered appendage to my face, staring at the thick and sticky substance with wonder.

"I won't," I whispered.

"Good," he said."

He shifted his attention to the road but I mumbled two words as he drove the car into the darkness, the headlights were his only guide to his next destination.

"Blood ties."

* * *

 **A/N:** *Looks around nervously while fiddling with fingers.* What do you think?


	3. Chapter 3

"Blood ties," I whispered to the painting of mama leaning against a wooden chair. Daddy still yet had to place it somewhere in the new mansion we were situated in.

Tilting my head, I moved closer to her picture. I extended my hand to her face, caressing her cheek in a loving manner. "Part of your blood and daddy's blood are in me, which ties our blood together."

My hand dropped limply to my side while I tilted my head to the other side. I stepped back.

"Blood ties," a male's voice repeated. My neck craned over my shoulder. There was a tall person who entered the room.

I turned away from him, uninterested in listening to his story. Rido mentioned that the mansion was occupied by another inhabitant and I shouldn't be alarm by his presence. He didn't bother to introduce him either.

"Toma Emi," the person said, making me exhale. "She was incredibly beautiful."

"I know."

"Who is she to you?" he asked me.

"My mama."

The air became silent.

"You're Kyyra?"

I shifted my attention to the ceiling, briefly wondering when the idle chatter will cease. "Yes."

"I wasn't expecting you to be..."

"..."

"So dull."

I craned my neck over my shoulder, my facial expression of indifference unaffected him yet internally I was taken aback by his childish appearance. He had boyish features with huge dark brown eyes, a roundish baby face surrounded by layered pinkish and purplish hair. His lips lifted in a playful smile.

I blinked my eyes before turning my attention to the painting.

Then, he was standing beside me. His hands were folded neatly behind him. I never felt him move. "You're definitely not one to talk much. That takes away all my fun."

"Your sense of fun is twisted. I wouldn't want you to entertain my daughter," another familiar voice added.

I inhaled a deep breath while my face brightened. Daddy walked to me and patted my head, probably he was rewarding me for being a good girl.

"You know I wouldn't do anything inappropriate to my darling niece," the boyish figure remarked.

"You better not or you won't be around for long," my father responded. Although it sounded like he was making a threat, he returned a smile to the other person.

I frowned as I looked to the other male. Did the stranger mention about me being his niece? Blinking at him, it made sense that we were related. He had same dark brown eyes and the mixture of the Toma hair.

I glanced back at dad and I saw his smirk. "Kyyra," he slowly said my name. There was a hint of humor in his colorful eyes. "This strange person is your uncle. He's your mama's older brother."

I exchanged glances between the males. There was an air of amusement they shared with each other. I wouldn't want to be in the same room if they were plotting evil against someone.

"You are?" I pinned my stare on the figure who was supposed to be my uncle.

"Toma Ejin." He bowed elegantly to me. While remaining in a bow, he lifted his head, a small smile displayed on his youngish looking face. "It's nice to finally meet you my little niece."

OoO

All three of us were in another office, as elegantly furnished as my daddy's one used to be. The clock on the mantel displayed five in the morning, the time for my bedtime was approaching.

Rido easily deposited me on a chair while taking the other one next to me.

"Shouldn't our precious little girl be in bed?" Ejin questioned. His eyebrows raised as the pureblood across him dismissed the question as though he was swatting a fly.

"No such thing is necessary. She'll stay by my side always."

The other pureblood vampire, my uncle, simply nodded his head. He walked to a wooden desk and picked up a piece of paper. My mouth opened and I stifled a yawn with my hand. His lips twisted into a smirk.

"Anything funny?"

"Our little one reminds me so much of our beloved Emi." The way they talked about my mama, made it seemed like she was a possession.

"She does." My eyes darted to dad. I never heard him speak of such fondness for mama with someone else nor did he reject the idea that mama belonged to another other than us.

He put the piece of paper down on the desk and moved behind the desk. His hand reached for a bottle, swirling the amber liquid as he held it into the air. "Care for a drink?"

"No."

"Then what do I owe to this fanciful visit?" He set the bottle aside and finally sat down on the chair behind his massive desk while propping his feet up on it.

"We will be requiring a place to stay..."

"How long?" the fair headed pureblood questioned.

"Don't know."

Ejin chuckled, a crooked smile displayed on his pale face. He examined us, making me sit straighter in my seat.

"Anyone benevolently associated with my beloved little sister is always welcome here," he returned.

Rido sighed and leaned back in his chair.

"Well?" the other pureblood removed his feet from the desk and shifted his body until his forearms rested in place where his legs were.

I glanced at my dad. He continued. "There is another reason we're here precisely."

Ejin elegantly gestured with his hand for my father to continue, as if he was a king on his throne and he was listening to the complaints from a peasant.

"I am no longer considered the Kuran heir of the Kuran family."

"Yet you still carry the Kuran surname as our little girl?"

Rido shrugged his broad shoulders. "You know how it goes. Emi married me so her last name changes. Our daughter will carry the Kuran name until she marries. But I can't change my last name."

The pureblood casted his eyes to the tall ceiling. "And you can't change the Kuran features as well."

"Except for the eyes."

"Yes, no one else besides our little precious girl has heterochromia."

Then he fixed his dark eyes on my dad. "I am kind of curious," his lips lifted upward in the corner of his mouth, "How did you come to possess such a unique trait."

"Unique trait," Rido scoffed. "This trait," he pointed to his eyes, "Has been the cause of all my suffering."

"Ah, you mean not getting to be with your first love."

"That is history," Rido snapped.

A smile tugged on Ejin's lips and I was beginning to realize what father meant about his twisted sense of entertainment.

"It is, or else I wouldn't have allowed my darling little sister to marry you."

"Which explains the reason for us being here."

I didn't like how dad sounded. He was putting aside his pride, something he didn't normally do with his pureblood status.

The other pureblood drummed his fingers. "You're referring to Emi's death?"

For the third time, mama's death was mentioned by someone else. "You may hold me accountable -."

"I do," the other vampire who was my uncle interjected. "You took a blood oath to take care of her when she joined your family as your wife and what do I discover, she's dead because of you."

"I-."

"You should've left her with me."

I inhaled a sudden breath when both eyes landed on me. A big mistake on my part. "But your reunion wasn't in vain." His stared intently at me, making me bristle. "She left something priceless behind."

"No."

"Do you have a right to deny me?"

I looked between both males and then watched my father the longest. He wasn't answering Ejin's question.

"As it is, you're in my territory and according to the peace treaty, I can take my precious little niece from you."

"No!" I suddenly yelled as I burst out of my chair and was shaking my head fiercely. There was no way I was going to leave my daddy to go with a stranger.

The other pureblood chuckled while completely ignoring me. "I'm tempted to take her from you. Will you stop me?"

Again, there was no response.

"Then I'll take her and as mine, her last name will become Toma."

Rido leaned forward in his chair, flattening his voice into even tones. "You take her then fuck the consequences of the peace treaty."

Ejin laughed a boisterous one that filled the whole office. Then his laughter died down and he crossed his arms over his chest. "That was what I was looking for. Not a defeated pureblood."

"You may blame me for your beloved's death. I let them take her from me, but I won't make the same mistake again."

The pureblood became severe and for some reason, I felt like the room darkened. "Who is 'them?'"

"Them?"

"You said you let 'them' take her from you?" Even his tone sounded darker and harsher.

"My siblings and my father?"

Gone was the playfulness. "How exactly did she die?"

"From sickness," Rido replied.

"Purebloods don't get sick unless..." The sentence drifted into silence and Ejin mulled.

"Purebloods are not suppose to get sick unless they start to display the symptoms of madness," my daddy completed.

"Was she?"

"Not around me and Kyyra."

The other pureblood's face transformed into a frightening expression, making my heart drop into my stomach. Unconsciously, I reached out to the one person that made me feel safe. My father's arm wrapped around my small frame while hauling me to him.

"But then she began coughing and spitting out blood," he finished.

Ejin's lips curved malevolently on his boyish face and my body shuddered. The hairs on my arms and the nape of my neck tingled. The wrath of another pureblood was alarming. "You are not the one to blame for their death. They are."

OoO

"Terrifying, isn't it?"

I blinked at my daddy.

"The wrath of a pureblood?"

"Anyone else but you," I answered him honestly.

His fingers tenderly brushed my face. "Which is you are our sweet Kyyra."

My eyes widened. Only mama used to call me that. Her sweet Kyyra.

But then he said "our."

I tilted my head to the side. "Our?"

"Your mama and me. You are ours."

"Like you and mama are mine."

"Yes," he answered while he chuckled lowly. He moved away from me and sat down on one of the fancy sofa chairs. He opened his arms for me to dash across the room to him. I did as he wanted and he chuckled again when I buried my face into the crook of his neck. It was rare for me to get happy moments with him, when he seemed so lost in his memories of her. Mama.

"Daddy?" I asked. I peered up at him from under my lashes.

His mismatched eyes were hooded, his large hand brushed through my shiny long hair. "Hmmm..."

"Will mama always be ours?"

"Yes," he lazily answered.

"Then why does he call mama his?"

His fingers stilled. "Who?" his voice sounded rougher as he exhaled on the crown of my head.

"Uncle Ejin-sama," I said with a small voice, hoping I didn't upset him. I greatly hated disappointing my father.

"He has a right to her."

"He does?"

Daddy pulled away from me and I bowed my head with shame. I did upset him.

"Kyyra," he said my name. A finger went under my chin and gently, he raised my face until I was looking into colorful pools.

"Vampires are possessive creatures. Blood is typically ours if we lay claim. Kin, however, is different. Kin's blood has been claimed the moment a family member is born into a family."

I blinked again. "Am I his?"

Dad smiled slowly. "You are his kin."

"No." I flipped my head away from his finger. My face turned sour.

"Kyyra," my dad said my name softly.

I refused to look at him.

"Kyyra."

I kept my attention averted, finding the pale blue wall interesting.

He chuckled and I looked at him while crossing my arms over my chest.

"Kyyra," he tried again.

"I'm not his."

"But you are."

"No."

Daddy only smiled. "He's kin and as such you are his like he is yours."

"I don't want him then," I said while pouting.

My dad laughed, actually really laughed, and I became transfixed by how regal and utterly beautiful he looked.

"I can't say the same for him," he replied when his laughter turned into a full-blown grin.

"I won't let him have me."

"Don't," he admonished me, his face becoming serious. I already missed his laughter.

"I won't. You and mama are mine forever." I moved closer to him, my small arms wrapped around his thick neck.

He encircled me protectively in his arms. "Just as she and you are mine for eternity."

OoO

I curled up like a cat on the sofa, under mama's painting on the wall. There was nowhere else I rather sleep than under mama's watch. Daddy sat across from me on the other sofa, a book laid open on his lap.

"You spoil her," another masculine voice intruded on our alone time. I scrunched my face. This room only belonged to my parents and me, not to that strange person who referred himself as my uncle.

"She's all that I have," my father strangely revealed to the other boyish pureblood.

"Just as Emi was to me."

There was silence, except the crackling from the fireplace.

"Kyyra is kin."

"What are you suggesting?" Even I wanted to know why daddy would say such a thing.

"If anything happens to me, watch after her."

There was light laughter, which sounded more like uneven breaths. "You don't know what you're asking."

"I do," Rido insisted.

"Are you tempting me?" There was edge in the pureblood's tone.

"She's not Emi."

"No one can replace my darling little sister."

Daddy sighed. "I know. I just need to be reassured that she's provided for by someone else I trust."

A hint of humor filled Ejin's tone. "I feel touched."

"Please." Rido didn't request for assistance easily.

There was another moment of silence before a response, that sounded like an oath. "You have my word."

Again, the crackling from the fire echoed in the room. "What plans are connotative in that head of yours?"

"The Kurans will come and with your peace treaty, they'll think twice before breaking it," Rido confessed.

"And?"

"Perhaps, I should listen to my father. Extending my pureblood duties sounds like a good idea."

At the sudden quietness, I opened my eyes but I witnessed something that wasn't for me. Both males were grinning manically at each other while plotting evil.

* * *

 **A/N:** Honestly, besides giving a big thanks to you readers for reading with such an open mind, I'm speechless.

THANK YOU!

Also, there is Toma-sama from the manga who hurts Yuki and well, I took his character and tweaked it for my purposes. And yeah, I'm curious to know what you think about him. Do you like him? Hate him? You feel neutral?

And just throwing this question out there: Doesn't it feel like Kyyra is falling more into her vampire instincts than holding onto her humanity?


	4. Chapter 4

"Humanity," I whispered, relishing the softness of the pillow beneath my face. I picked up the velvet blanket and ran my fingers along the smooth surface. Even this life of luxury was a commodity. Maybe I was just plain lucky to be born rich twice.

But the one thing I was unfortunate to have was love.

Love was like water. It flowed like the liquid, escaped through crevices and was harder to grasp with bare hands.

"Daddy asked me about humanity." I turned to face the painting of mama. "How can I answer that being a child?"

He held high expectations for me but not in the way my parents did in the past life. Rido was more understanding about my mistakes. He treated me like the child I was. He didn't leave me alone in the arms of strangers or to fend for myself.

Rido acted like a true parent, apart from his counterpart in the anime or manga.

He was truer as a parent to me than my own parents in my previous life.

"I forget how easy it is to immerse oneself in this world." I was human once upon a time but disliking my origins and given a second chance, it seemed I loved this life better. That was why I lost myself, my identity and my emotions to the body of a vampire child. Given a second chance with people who dearly loved me made me appreciate what I found.

"Humanity for me is love. Do you want to know why, mama?" Even now, I was lost as Rido. Love for someone consumed us both with grief.

He was a widower and I was a motherless child.

"I will explain everything to you since daddy and Ejin-sama are outside," I began speaking with the language I used in another life. "My name in my last life was Ava Morris. I didn't know love the way you and daddy showered me with because the parents I had were more self-absorbed than anything else."

I sat up on the bed that dad moved into the room because I refused to sleep away from mama's painting. My face took on a solemn expression. "I wasn't allowed to call my own father dad. I called him Sir. He was part of the military and spent most of his time overseas."

I shook my head. "My mother was a social elite. She spent her days in charity events and attending parties than to take care of me. Nannies raised me. Endless of them and they reached a point they couldn't stand me too."

My fingers clutched the fabric of my dress tightly at my thighs. "I yearned to please both my parents. I thought that by being the best I could earn their love."

I felt a prickling sensation by my eyes. "But that didn't matter. Learning to speak five different languages, condoning myself like a lady, singing, dancing, graduating as valedictorian in my all girl high school meant nothing to them."

I turned away from mama and my voice cracked with the question I was about to ask. "Do you want to know how I know they didn't love me?"

My hands unclenched. I stretched my fingers against one of my thighs. "At eighteen I collapsed in the bathroom. I thought it was me not eating properly." I twined my fingers, refusing to look at the painting. "The last nanny had left and my mother thought it was a waste to hire someone else to take care of me."

"I overheard them, my parents, arguing about me. I burdened them with my existence. All because I wasn't born a boy."

I bit my lip, unsure how to continue. "You see boys had more advantages than girls. Boys didn't have to worry about raising a family. They were stronger, better paid and had more opportunities." I paused. "I guess I can see where they're coming from. Maybe if I was a boy I wouldn't have gotten sick, right?"

Finally, I looked up at mama. "I wouldn't have gotten leukemia."

Tears slipped freely from my eyes. "I would still be with them, right?"

My hands came to my face. "But then you didn't care if I was born a girl. You still loved me. And daddy, he loves me."

I buried my weeping face in my hands. Hunching over, I let myself cry. "He's suppose to be a monster," I said in between sobs. "Yet he loves the both of us."

"Why? Why did you love me?" I couldn't calm myself down. "Why does he love me?"

The truth was right before my death, in my last life, my mother revealed the blight I was. I was the reason Sir hardly came home. The woman who bore me had no other choice but to look for love elsewhere. My parents were unhappily married because I didn't turn out to be a boy.

"And you and daddy love me for me."

I could hear footsteps pounding against the marble floor. They were heading toward me. Was I crying that loud? Wiping furiously at my face, I glanced at mama. "He's not going to be around for long." I didn't have to confess who was in great danger.

Something terrible was going to happen to daddy and if it did, I was going to be alone.

The doors flew open. Wind gusted into the room, wrapping around me. I closed my eyes as long arms encircled me. A warm chest pressed against my cheek.

"My sweet Kyyra, what is wrong?" my father asked me softly.

"You... were.. gone," I sobbed into his chest.

"I'm right here now." His large hand brushed tenderly through my hair.

"Stay," I cried.

I knew what I had to do. Although this world had immensely changed, there were certain events that would inevitably occur. Yuki's birth. Rido's attempt to kill her. Him getting severely wounded and his long absence from my life. The factor that remained shrouded in mystery was the life of Kaname or my grandfather.

"I'm right here," my father kept crooning as he stood up with me in his arms. He began to walk back and forth, one large hand was rubbing tenderly on my back. His other hand cradled my small head. "I'm here."

I would save him, damn the consequences.

I wasn't going to give up a person who loved me because his love for me was my humanity.

And his love for mommy was what prevented him from becoming a monster.

OoO

Dinner was unusual for me because what happened earlier. It took a while for Rido to calm me down and even when he did, I refused to let him leave my side. The cruel fact that someday he wasn't going to be with me -I was going to parentless- hit me like a thousand needles stabbing my whole body.

To anyone, dying would be the worst thing.

To me, being lonely, was the worst.

Ejin sat across from me. He looked lost in thought as he placed his chin on one folded hand. The delicious food didn't seem to appeal to him.

"Should we tell her?" he asked a question to my father. His brows raised high on his head. "Kyyra will eventually learn the news."

I looked between both purebloods. I didn't say anything as I waited to hear what either of them wanted to reveal.

"You have a way to ruining the peace between us," Rido remarked. He took his time to sip his glass of red wine. His dark eyes flickered to Ejin morosely.

"Aw, come on. She will have to learn about the ball."

"Ball, what ball?" I finally said. I sat up straighter in my seat, looking at my dad expectantly.

My father leaned forward in his seat. Putting his hands together, his dark eyes landed on me. "The Aido family are hosting a ball in our honor. They want you to become acquainted with the vampire society." His voice came out as a low growl. A chill went down my spine. "It will be a great opportunity for you to meet other children your age."

My hands fisted into balls under the table. If we went to the ball, something was going to change.

I bit my bottom lip before asking, "Are they going to be there, daddy?"

He didn't withdraw his hands. "Most likely, yes."

That meant the person who was going to hurt Rido was going to be there. Kaname Kuran.

"Don't go."

"Well, that's the problem, my dear little niece," Ejin playfully pitched in. "We can't decline the invitation, especially since it is in our honor."

"No," I said. "It's easy to say."

"We already confirmed the invitation. We are going." Dad's tone was final.

I bit my lip hard to stop myself from disrespecting him. Ejin just laughed.

Daddy made my job of protecting him harder.

OoO

We were back in our room. Dad was by his chair, the one that pointed directly at mama's painting. I sat on the bed. It was rare for daddy to sleep. He commented that sleeping wasn't the same without mama by his side. I agreed. Nothing was the same without her.

"Daddy, aren't you going to sit down?"

The man chuckled low in his throat while slightly shaking his head. "Sweet Kyyra, go to sleep."

I pouted. "I can't."

"You can. You've done it before."

Stubbornly, my head moved side-to-side. "Not tonight. I keep thinking about earlier."

Slowly, he moved from the chair to the bed. He sat down on the mattress, his long legs sprawling out. His handsome face looked at me. I waited for him to put out his hands and when he did, I jumped on top of him, giggling that I got his full attention.

He chuckled again while positioning me on his lap. I loved making him happy.

He tucked me under his chin, his arms cradling me, making me feel loved and safe.

"Kyyra, honey, are you going to tell your daddy why you cried earlier?"

My happiness dimmed and my small hands clutched his arms.

"Kyyra?"

I shook my head, my long hair swayed fiercely with my movement.

He leaned his forehead on the crown of my head. "I wish you can tell me what made you sad."

The one thing that frightened me most was him getting hurt. Attending the ball was the trigger that would begin everything.

"Can't the world be ours?" I finally asked him in my childish tone. "Just you, mama and me."

"The world is ours."

"No," I said. There were people out there that could still hurt us. If only I wasn't a four-year little girl I could be powerful enough to prevent everything.

"I don't want to lose you," I confessed bowing my head. Rido pulled away from me, his arms unwrapping around me. He repositioned my small body on his lap while giving me a confused expression.

"Who said that to you?"

I refused to glance at him. My lips trembled.

"Did your uncle say anything because if he did so help him right now."

He was on the verge on rising to his feet when I desperately clutched onto him. "I don't want you to go to the party. I can't lose you like mama."

I could feel it in my bones. The events in Vampire Knight might have changed due to mama's presence but him bringing back Kaname confirmed everything. Somehow the tide would turn against us.

He was rubbing my back and patting my head affectionately. "Nothing is going to happen to me, honey. I'm right here."

"Not the party," I kept saying again and again.

"If it'll make you feel better, I will be with you the whole time at the party." His words did make me feel a little better. At least with him in my eyesight, I would be reassured.

"Okay," I eventually conceded.

He pulled back, his lips tilting upward. "Your mama would be excited. She'll definitely start planning on what dresses you can wear."

I giggled and put a hand to my mouth to stifle it. I nodded.

"Do you have a dress in mind?"

In my previous life I would never get ecstatic over dressing up but since mama used to love making me wear frilly dresses I didn't mind. "A pink dress."

Dad laughed, the sound infectious. I was laughing along with him. "That sounds like a great start."

"Yep," I agreed with him.

* * *

 **A/N:** This is a shorter chapter but I wanted to bring up Kyyra's past and her reason for acting like she does since this is an important aspect that will define her future. I hope you enjoy reading. I will love to read your thoughts in your reviews. They give me a lot of ideas. Thank you.


	5. Chapter 5

As I looked outside the window of our very own room, I could hear the wind singing while the tree branches tapped lightly at the glass. I glanced at Rido who sat down elegantly in his sofa chair. One leg crossed over the other leg, his book was open and his finger trailed the words. Not too far from him was mama's painting.

My lips stretched across my face. Every night we should be in this room, just the three of us.

But sometimes, I felt like I wanted more.

I averted my attention to the glass, my hand pressed against the cool surface. I leaned my forehead against it, my breath fogged the cool window pane. Such a little thing, the fogging of the glass, fascinated me because the air I exhaled was warm. Almost human.

It was strange. Very weird. We looked like them. Dressed like them. Acted like them... the humans. But we would never consider ourselves to such inferior beings.

Everything was ironic really.

Rido said it was about disguising ourselves to fit in a society that was overrun by them. They didn't know our existence and if they did, we hunted them, killed them and every single person they loved or came into contact with them.

The vampire self- the part that was dominant, accepted his explanation.

The other part- a small part that remembered being human thought it was vile.

Nonetheless, like all other things, I blinked my eyes and welcomed it. Information in this world was my power. Not feelings.

According to Uncle Ejin, purebloods were not allowed to feel, at least not openly. We had to be wary over whom to trust. Kin was our closest and safest to love. But in father's case, his family betrayed us. And they in return viewed him picking mama and me as backstabbing them.

My hand closed into a fist and I lightly tapped the window, or I thought I did. Instantly, a web of lines formed where my hand was and a crack disturbed the silence.

Rido lifted his head, his mismatched eyes falling to the noise. I watched, then blinked my eyes -the ones that mirrored his- to cover my astonishment. I was still a little girl but to have that much power... could it be possible?

He didn't shout. He never had to.

No, his heterochromia eyes flickered to me, a small smile twisting on his handsome face -not one of his cruel ones, but his soft one.

Then I felt it, the air brushed around me like butterfly wings. My eyes drifted shut. Rido's presence surrounded me. The gentleness. The feelings of safeness and love filled me and then it vanished. I opened my eyes to see him go back to reading. I turned my head to the window to see the glass looked brand new. Again, I blinked. My fingers slightly touched the glass where the damage had been earlier.

I heard a thump. I glanced at Rido. His colorful eyes glittered as he carelessly tossed the book onto the couch. "Were you thinking of something unpleasant my sweet Kyyra?"

I could shake my head. It sounded tempting but father had a way he could read my expressions better than anyone else.

So I settled with glimpsing the window and hearing how the wind kept on singing outside while the tree branches danced around. The night was truly beautiful.

"Why don't we go outside?" My childish voice broke the quietness.

He lifted a dark eyebrow. "You mean why don't you go outside?"

I nodded my head.

"For safety reasons."

"But aren't we purebloods?"

"We are but it doesn't mean we are secure. There are other creatures that hunt us because they want our blood."

I turned my head fully to him. Tilting it to the side I continued to watch him.

"Level E Vampires or mindless beasts." They were the creatures that he thought were beneath us. They were the lowest rank in the pyramid that displayed the hierarchy of vampires. "The moment they get a drop of our blood, they become truly unstoppable."

I had to wonder if that would happened to Zero had he completely fallen to Level E, especially with Yuki's blood flowing in him.

"Their instincts take over and they are driven by desperation, greed, and hunger. Combine those three and you can see why we need to be protected at all costs, or in this matter, you."

"Me?"

He fluidly stood up from the couch and slowly moved to me, as if not to startle me. He lowered himself to his knees and still being on his knees, I had to tilt my head up at him. His big hands cradled my face.

"You are not strong enough to go outside on your own."

No, I wasn't strong enough like him or Kaname. At least not yet.

"Which is why I keep you here where I and Ejin-kun can protect you. Do you now understand, honey?"

"Yes daddy," I whispered. He leaned in to softly kiss my forehead before letting me go and retreated to his space.

I understood clearly. I still had a long way to go, in pureblood power, before I could walk around without any barriers. Until then, I could be up and about within the walls of the Toma estate.

OoO

There was a way in which my father moved. The moment he entered a room, he could bring anything to life. He just made the whole place sparkle.

The maids would bow deeply to him, never making eye contact with him.

Even Ejin would walk a few paces behind him.

Yes, Rido had the unnatural beauty and grace no one could touch, well, except mama. She was the only person I could imagine walking at his side and equally measuring his worth.

He halted. Ejin stopped too. My feet paused behind Ejin.

Did daddy forget something?

I was tempted to ask so I did what no other person dared to do. I hurriedly rushed past Ejin to grab the pants' leg of daddy's. I could feel all breaths freezing and the atmosphere tensing.

"Daddy?" I asked looking up at him with wide heterochromia eyes.

He was tall, very much so to the point my neck was straining. His hands shifted at his sides. One maid's finger twitched while her head was lowered.

The servants waited, fear breaking the surface. They feared for me.

I waited, just blinking at him -my daddy.

Then warm, strong arms encircled me and lifted me high up into the air. I giggled as I wrapped my small arms around his thick neck. "Let's go. I have what I've been waiting for," his voice rumbled.

I giggled again, my childish glee filling the whole hallway.

Everyone sighed. The intense mood evaporating.

Rido was one of the strongest purebloods. From the way he walked and others kept their distance, there was a clear display in hierarchy. Perhaps his father and Kaname were the same in their family. But one thing was for sure, I was the apple of his eye.

OoO

The room was extravagant and yet simple. Mirrors adorned the walls on one side and the other side had tall elegant windows with red velvet, gold trimming curtains set aside. The moonlight from outside filtered into the room, casting a heavenly glow on the marble floor. The ceiling was covered in art of beautiful dancing figures. A sparkling chandelier hung in the center of the room. By the window Ejin walked to a beautiful shiny black piano.

Daddy set me gently down on my feet. His head rose, his glittery eyes taking in the stunning scene.

"Daddy, where are we?" I asked him while tilting my head.

"This special place is your mama's favorite room. She loved this ballroom," he answered. He looked lost in the moment, his handsome face glistening with memories.

"Really?"

"Yes, your mama loved to dance."

The more I heard I about her, the more I grew to love her. She loved to dance like me. In my first life, dancing was a way to get away from my parent's strict upbringing. I learned ballet and put all my focus on it to forget the feelings of being unwanted.

"Why are we here, daddy?" My hand went to his pants' leg and I clutched the fabric. It was a whispering move for him return to me.

Coming to himself, he glanced down at me. "Kyyra."

"Are you okay?" I asked in a small voice.

He bent down and gathered me into his arms. "I was remembering dancing the waltz with your mama. She loved dancing with me."

"Huh, there you go getting your facts wrong," Ejin cut in. He was sitting on the piano bench, his dark eyes studying us.

We both turned to him but amusement flickered on Rido's face. "You wish, Ejin-kun. You were envious of the attention she gave me."

"She only gave you her attention because I was playing the piano," the other pureblood replied.

"We needed someone to play for us as you will do today because we need our sweet Kyyra to learn how to dance."

My eyes widened and excitement overtook me. "Really?" I laughed. "I will love to dance the waltz with you daddy."

"Not to be a party pooper but there's a problem," Ejin interrupted us.

"What is it?" Rido asked. A hint of a smile flickered on his face.

"You're too tall."

"That doesn't matter." All of a sudden I was lifted in the air and daddy swirled me around in circles. My childish joy filled the whole room.

We stopped and he put me back down. I couldn't stop giggling. "Daddy, can we dance again?"

"Sure if Ejin-kun won't mind playing."

The other boyish pureblood simply shrugged his shoulder and his fingers began gliding across the piano. I stood shocked as the beautiful melody filled my ears. Daddy picked me up with ease, bringing me out of my daze. My arms circled his neck and he began to move with the music.

"Daddy, I'm not dancing!"

"You don't have to worry about moving your feet. You're still too little."

I pouted while he laughed.

"That's not fair."

"The people will make an exception because you're my little girl."

His words made me feel better. He always made me feel better.

We danced, or more like he danced, twirling me in circles around the room. I laughed merrily. I couldn't remember having so much fun with him. He seemed so light-hearted and carefree. I wanted him to be happy always.

When the music stopped, he settled me on my feet. I was still giddy from all my childish happiness.

Daddy was about to stand up when I put my hands on his cheeks to stop him. Looking into his colorful eyes, a part of me wished that I could freeze this moment.

"I love you daddy," I said to him. "I love you and mama the most in this world." His eyes widened and so many emotions filled them. Joy. Sadness. Regret. "I love you both." His eyes became filled with content. _And thank you for loving me for me._

Another figure joined us. "What about me, my beloved little niece?"

I looked to Ejin and I fiercely shook my head. "I only love mama and daddy."

His face turned sour. I smiled while Rido's guffaw rumbled in the ballroom.

"Come, sweet Kyyra." My father picked me up and headed out of the grand room. For a moment I was happy I could bring him joy. Maybe if I could make more happy moments, he would choose to forget revenge.

Just maybe.

OoO

I was sleeping on the couch below mama's painting, or only pretending to shut my eyes. The early hours of dawn didn't make me tired like the other vampires in the Toma estate. Perhaps purebloods were strong enough to endure sunlight hours unlike Level B and Level C vampires.

My fingers glided over the soft velvety pillow under my head when two figures walked into the room. Their auras radiated around them causing my hand to still as I evened out my breathing.

"How is she?" I overheard Ejin asking.

"She's sleeping," Rido answered the other pureblood. "Will you look after her for me?"

"You're returning to the Shiki residence, aren't you?"

"I'm doing what my father requested."

"But with the Shiki woman? Isn't she...?"

"Which is my reason for picking her."

I felt intense eyes on me and for a second my heart stuttered at the prospect of my daddy seeing another woman. I couldn't imagine him loving someone else.

"And our darling Kyyra, how will she react to the news?"

"She's the reason I'm doing all of this. I already fucked up on the first attempt to protect her."

"You're not alone in this fight."

"I appreciate your help. I really do but my lust for power backfired and now I need to make sure my daughter is well if something happens to me."

Ejin laughed out loud. I wanted to open my eyes and yell at him. "You're acting like you won't always be around."

"I won't," Rido confirmed.

Silence filled the air. I forced a slow exhale through my nose while in the act of pretend sleeping. But the quietness was killing me.

"What are you hiding Rido-kun?"

I heard a long intake of breath as one of them sat down on a chair. "My first attempt at gaining power, I didn't do it for me. The night I stole Juri-san and Haruka-san's baby from them, I sacrificed the baby to an ancestor."

"That's understandable," Ejin replied curtly.

Rido sighed in defeat. "But the fucking plan backfired. The ancestor drank my blood and greatly injured me. Kyyra was the only thing that kept me alive."

"The power you wanted..."

"I sought power to control an ancestor. With him as my servant, I would use him to protect our beloved Kyyra."

I forgot to breathe as my fingers twitched on the pillow.

"The plan failed. There are other methods."

My father guffawed, not in merriment but in a dark humor. "Which is my reason for seeking the Shiki woman and coming to you. If the ancestor comes at us right now, I'll be the only survivor. I need time to set everything in place."

There was another moment of silence. I barely inhaled air while holding back a slight whimper and then I let out a shaky breath.

"The ancestor is alive?"

"Of course," Rido replied, his chuckle sinister. "He's an ancient one, living in the form of a child with the Kuran family."

"Oh shit," Ejin muttered.

Dread filled the pit of my stomach. "Oh shit doesn't cover half of it. If the Kuran family have another child and it's a girl, then that ancestor's loyalty will be on their side."

And in the game of chess between two sides -the Kuran family and our side- we would definitely lose. _Because of Yuki._

* * *

 **A/N:** Sorry for leaving a cliff-hanger. Thank you for reading. I appreciate your support so far. Comment but please no flames.


	6. Chapter 6

A nightly schedule had been set for me. I began my evenings with various lessons in languages, math, science, and the arts. After came more lessons of pureblood etiquette. Then I spent the rest of my hours with my father or Ejin.

But lately, my father had been away on business, leaving me alone.

I didn't like it one bit.

Being by myself gave me more time to think.

And having more time to think stirred a restlessness in me.

The door to my room opened and I rose excitedly to the person. Expecting to see Rido, my mood turned morose as I saw Ejin in his playful manner walked to the couch I was sitting on. His lips kicked up in the corners as I exhaled and I returned to reading another book.

"Why so sad, my dearest little niece?" he asked while he took a seat next to me. He was here because my daddy couldn't spend another evening with me.

Instead of answering him, I asked a question in a childish way. "Where is daddy?"

The pureblood leaned back, his head resting on one of the velvet pillows. His arms splayed out beside him as he made himself comfortable. "He has another meeting."

My eyebrows tugged together. "A meeting?"

"With the council." He had been attending a lot of those lately and I couldn't help but wonder if he was plotting against the Kuran family using them.

"Don't worry your pretty little head, your father will be back tomorrow."

"I want him here," I answered quietly, sadly.

"But you have me to keep you company."

"I still want daddy."

"I can't blame you. At your age I wanted either my mom or sister."

I turned my head to him. Ejin didn't volunteer personal information unless he was with Rido. Witnessing how Juri and Haruka betrayed my parents, it disturbed me to be with other purebloods. Especially since one, who was supposedly my grandfather, threatened to harm me.

"Were you and mama close?" I questioned out of curiosity.

His brown eyes closed and a long smile stretched across his boyish face. "We were. Your mama and I were a team. We liked playing pranks on everyone."

It was my turn to slightly smile. "That doesn't sound like mama."

"Oh, she changed when she met your father. She wanted to spend more time with him than me."

"Because you're weird."

Ejin laughed, open and carefree. He opened his eyes and stared at the beautiful painting of mama. "You are very much like her, your mama. Perhaps you might be walking in the same footsteps as her."

My attention averted to her image. There was no way I could be like her, a person filled with love and laughter.

"No one is like mama," I said with wonder.

"You're right," he said after some time. "No one can replace her."

At least we had one thought in common. Besides, I didn't want to be in anyone's shadow. I wanted to be me.

There was a moment of silence before curiosity got the better of me again. "When can I learn magic?"

It was my slip up for Ejin to treat me like a child.

"Magic?" His eyes widened, mirth shining in them after his realization. "Pureblood powers. You can learn now, but only the small things."

I blinked at him while waiting quietly for him to continue.

"You know your father's gift."

I nodded. Daddy had the ability to manipulate his blood.

"All pureblood vampires have the same abilities but they have powers they are very good at controlling. Your father can control his blood, turning it into a whip. The Kuran family can hold weapons that can kill our kind."

"And you?"

"The Toma family... our gift is complex."

"Com-plex," I struggled to say the word, although I knew the meaning.

"Our power is different. It is known to be a gift and a curse."

I wasn't following along. He must have sensed my confusion because he continued.

"I can't explain our gift. It's best to show it to you." He turned to me and angled his head so that he was looking down at me. "Okay, close your eyes."

"Why?"

He sighed. "I won't hurt you, my darling niece. You're too cute."

His words didn't convince me to trust him.

"You want to know why the Toma family's power is different, I'm willing to show you."

But trust had little to do what I wanted to learn so I listened to him and did as he instructed. Except, a simple gesture of closing my eyes took one of my senses. Being a heavily visual learner, the moment I lost my sight, my other senses went into overload.

"Okay, good, now find a center."

I was about to question him.

"Your breathing, listen to how you breathe in and out."

My heart was racing. My breathing was harsh. I didn't realize I was panicking.

"Slow your breathing down. Deep breaths in and out. In and out." Slowly he said the words. "In and out. In and out."

I found myself following his every word, until I felt like I was lulled into a relaxed state.

"Now feel around the room and point toward the place that is warm."

My face scrunched as I concentrated on finding a warm place. "I can't."

"Just breathe and you will feel it." I continued to inhale and exhale air until I felt it, a warmth of the rising sun.

My hand rose from my lap and my finger pointed to a direction.

"Excellent, now open your eyes," he instructed.

My eyelids fluttered open and my head shifted to where I pointed. I blinked as I looked in the direction I was pointing. There was nothing but the wall and the painting of mama. "I..."

"The Toma family can leave a piece of their power behind in objects. In this sense, your mother left a piece of her power in your father's painting."

My eyes widened and air got stuck in my throat. It dawned on me, all those times daddy talked to mama's painting, him taking it from our old home, his obsession over it, the painting had an essence of mama. Rido wasn't slipping into madness.

No, it was the other way around.

Even in death, mama was keeping him sane.

I blinked and a tear rolled down my cheek.

"Now you understand why our powers is both a gift and a curse my darling niece. It is complex and not something that any other pureblood is capable of. Even your father has trouble leaving a piece of his power in an item."

I nodded my head, a new found respect blossoming for my uncle.

"My darling little niece, it's a better idea of keeping this talk between us. Who knows what your father will do if he finds out that I let out our secret?"

"Secret?" I iterated. I slightly turned my head to him.

He took a deep breath and then chuckled. "Us Toma, we like to keep our distance from other purebloods because they can't understand our power."

Owlishly I blinked at him.

Ejin moved closer to me and not once did I flinch. He was so close that the dark pupils in his eyes were visible. "You can fool the other vampires but not me."

I chose that moment to tilt my face and not break eye contact with him. "What do you mean uncle?" I questioned childishly.

He shook his head while his lips kicked up in a playful manner. "You're a Toma all right. Your father won't have to worry about you."

I scrunched my eyebrows at him. It was the only expression I allowed him to see.

The pureblood placed his large hand on the crown of my head and patted my head. "You are quite resourceful."

My hand rose and I swatted the larger appendage off my hair. My father was the only one allowed to praise me.

As usual Ejin barked in laughter. He was using me as a form of entertainment but instead of being annoyed, I filed his reactions for later analyzing. If I was going to live in the pureblood world, I had to learn the politics. Who else better than to learn it from Ejin?

* * *

 **A/N:** I've been having a rough time the past few months. Inspiration has been limited, which is why this chapter is short, but I'm not giving up writing. Please, if you can be gentle with words, that is if this chapter is not comparable to the other chapters. Thank you for your support.


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